An image of Capt. Brendan Bingham

CHARLEVOIX, Mich. – June 11, 2026 – After competing as a collegiate bass angler, Capt. Brendan Bingham developed a strong connection to Lake Charlevoix, a place he spent every summer growing up at while visiting his grandfather’s home. Today, he’s turning that lifelong connection into a business and has announced the opening of his first TowBoatUS port, TowBoatUS Charlevoix, to provide on-water assistance to boaters across the lake. 

TowBoatUS Charlevoix will operate one red response vessel, a 28-foot Zodiac, crewed by a team of Coast Guard-licensed captains. The port offers on-water towing, fuel delivery, soft ungroundings, and battery jumps. Separate from these services, the port also offers salvage and boat repair.  

As a lifelong angler, Capt. Brendan also brings a deep understanding of the sport, by being the owner of a successful local fishing guide service for boaters. Lake Charlevoix is widely known as a premier fishing destination, attracting thousands of anglers each year. 

“This lake has always been a big part of my life, and being able to build a career around it is incredibly rewarding,” said Brendan. “We’re ready to serve boaters and be there when they need us most.” 

Including TowBoatUS Charlevoix, TowBoatUS, the largest on-water towing fleet in North America operates 17 towing ports across Michigan. 

Much like an auto club for recreational boat owners, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) offers on-water towing memberships for $130/year for freshwater. In addition to a BoatUS Towing Membership, members also receive more than 25 valuable BoatUS benefits including a subscription to award-winning BoatUS Magazine, free DSC-VHF radio registration and more. 

To request on-water assistance, boaters can call the BoatUS toll-free 24/7 Dispatch Center at 800-391-4869, download the free BoatUS App, which connects boaters to the closest local towing captain, call TowBoatUS Charlevoix directly at (231) 330-8872, or hail on VHF radio Ch. 16. 

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About TowBoatUS  

Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) is the nation's leading advocacy, services and safety group for recreational boaters. We provide more than 740,000 members with a wide array of helpful services, including 24-hour on-water towing that gets boaters safely home when their boat won’t, as well as jump-starts, fuel delivery, and soft ungroundings. The TowBoatUS towing fleet is North America’s largest network of towing ports with more than 330 locations and over 630 red towboats, responding to more than 110,000 requests for assistance each year. To learn more about becoming a TowBoatUS member, visit BoatUS.com/Towing and to find a TowBoatUS location closest to you, visit BoatUS.com/ServiceLocator.